DENVER — Hundreds of patients are waiting for potentially devastating news after a massive infection control breach at Porter Adventist Hospital.
Marquise Harris, whose mother Patricia died last month, says he wants to know if she may have contracted Hepatitis C after having surgery at the hospital last summer.
He tearfully explained, “I miss my mother every day, she was my best friend.”
Porter Adventist reported a breach in sterilization on February 21 after the process for cleaning surgical instruments following certain procedures was found to be “inadequate.”
Those at risk include patients who underwent orthopedic or spine surgery between July 21, 2016 and February 20, 2018.
They may have been exposed to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or HIV.
“My mother had a knee replacement surgery for her right knee back last year between the relevant times which Porter knew, or should have known, that this contamination had existed,” Harris said.
FOX31 asked the hospital about Harris’s case but we have not yet received any information.
The hospital issued a statement saying in part, ” … We understand that this information may cause concern, and are working closely with our patient care team, doctors and staff to ensure any patients involved have the information and resources they need.”
The hospital has since stopped using all surgical equipment in question from that time period.
The Colorado Department of Public Health says it is not aware of any patient infections at this time, and says the risk of getting any of the diseases is considered low.
Still, many are concerned about possible exposure to disease.
Harris, whose family is trying to cope with the devastation of their loss, says he is not getting answers from the hospital hotline and will continue to fight to have his mother’s case investigated.